


The Prince and the Dragon

by smittenbritain



Series: RT Writing Community Secret Santa [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Achievement Hunter Kings, Dragons, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minecraft, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 11:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18755452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenbritain/pseuds/smittenbritain
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a prince, a knight, and a historian.The prince had made a discovery, one he ached to understand before he took to the throne. The long suffering knight and historian, as always, followed in his footsteps, so they could protect and chronicle, as they were destined to do.In the end, they found more than just dragons: they found each other.





	The Prince and the Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [romanee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanee/gifts).



> This is my Secret Springfairy fic for Roma! I went a little off the rails with the 'dragon' buzzword, but I hope you like!

Ryan strode through the corridors of his castle with purpose, clutching his bag under his arm as he weaved between various servants and other nobility. It was clear that he was in the middle of something, something important, so nobody tried to stop him for an idle chat - the king-to-be was by no means a violent man, but he had very little patience when he was buried in his research.

Alfredo, unfortunately, knew this very well.

He had been left to rush after Ryan, ignoring the clanking of his armour as he struggled to keep up. Ryan was deaf to his calls of his name at times like this, so Alfredo didn’t bother; instead, he just tried to keep pace, just so he could continue his duty of protecting Ryan.

When he’d taken over the shift this morning - Michael had been there overnight this time, and seemed relieved to swap out - Ryan had looked tired, scattered, but so very awake. He hadn’t slept, by the looks of things, but he also hadn’t left his chambers, according to Michael. Alfredo knew that Ryan was sometimes victim to a bout of insomnia, but he’d never seen him like this: agitated in an excited way, dragging him away from his post the second he’d arrived.

Eventually, Ryan slowed down once they reached a corridor; his pause at the door was enough for Alfredo to catch up and stop next to him, panting. He slumped against the wall for a moment, just to catch his breath.

“Ryan,” he gasped, “what the fuck?”

Ryan did admittedly look a little sheepish when he saw the state Alfredo was in. “Sorry,” he said. “I’ll explain in a moment, I promise. Just stick with me.”

And with that, Ryan pushed his way into the library. Alfredo reluctantly followed him.

They’d barely stepped inside before a familiar face came around the shelves, a smile already on his face once he saw who it was. The library was under the care of Geoff, a man who had a deep passion for books and reading; Alfredo wouldn’t be surprised if he’d read every book on the shelves, and then some more on top of that. He knew he’d also written some of his own - both fiction and non-fiction - in an effort to further populate the already busy shelves.

“Ryan!” Geoff greeted, beaming at them both. “Alfredo! What’s up?”

“Geoff! Just the man I wanted to see.” Ryan strode towards Geoff, already rooting around in his bag. Alfredo saw him pull out a notebook and flip through it; as he came closer, he glanced over Ryan’s shoulder and saw frantic, scribbled handwriting. “Where do you keep your books on dragons?”

At the request, Geoff paled. “Dragons?”

Ryan levelled him with a serious stare. “Dragons.”

“Over- they’re over here, but…” Geoff trailed off as he headed for a shelf tucked in the corner. There was no sign to say which section this was - or, Alfredo realised, Geoff was just so familiar with his library that he knew exactly where any book was. “Why do you want books on _dragons,_ Ryan? You’re not trying to become a hunter, are you?”

As Geoff pulled down a couple of heavy tomes, he handed them off to Ryan, who started to load up the nearest table with them. “Nope,” he said, popping the ‘p’ casually. “Quite the opposite, actually.”

Alfredo shared a look with Geoff, and was almost amused to see that he looked as shocked as Alfredo felt.

“The opposite?” Alfredo repeated.

Ryan took a seat at the table, spreading out and rearranging the books before reaching into his satchel again. His notebook was placed squarely in the middle, along with a pencil and some other loose pieces of paper. When Alfredo peered over Ryan’s shoulder, he could see more of the same hurried scribbling, along with a couple of fleeting sketches - reptilian, shadowy, menacing.

Once he’d set everything up how he wanted it, Ryan finally met Alfredo’s eyes again, smiling once more. “The opposite,” he confirmed. “Knights and hunters always talk about how fearsome dragons are, but why haven’t they ever tried _taming_ them?”

“Maybe because they’re vicious beasts?” Geoff muttered.

“But they’re not,” Ryan interjected. He pulled a book towards himself and began to thumb through the pages - evidently, Ryan was familiar with this particular one, which made Alfredo wonder why he ever needed Geoff to show him where the dragon section was in the first place. Maybe it had just been a conversation starter. “Look. There’s stuff here that says they can be friendly under the right circumstances. They’re intelligent creatures, but of course they’re still going to fight back if someone points a spear at them. Any of us, any _human,_ would do the same.”

Geoff took a seat opposite him, and with clear reluctance, he entertained Ryan by taking a page of notes to skim. Alfredo found his gaze lingering on Geoff’s hands, though, trailing along the lines of his many tattoos, and was only stirred out of his accidental reverie when Geoff spoke.

“Why, Ryan?”

Ryan’s shoulders drooped a little, and for the first time today, he showed his tiredness. It was enough that, finally, Alfredo sat down next to him, bumping their shoulders together in a show of support, even if he wasn’t sure what was on Ryan’s mind.

“All of these books, all of this research, and people still hunt them like they’re common beasts,” Ryan said, tracing his fingers over the words on the page. “It’s like everyone just… assumes it’s all fake. Imagine what we could accomplish if we could prove people wrong, if we could _work_ with dragons.”

“So you want to tame them,” Alfredo said, flatly.

“Tame isn’t the right word, I don’t think,” Ryan replied. He drummed his fingers against the page, thoughtful. “More like… unite our races, as dramatic as it sounds.”

“Sounds a little dangerous for a king-to-be,” Geoff snorted.

But Ryan shot him a brilliant smile, one that he turned on Alfredo as well, and he felt himself melt under the warmth of it. “But I have the smartest historian I know and my knight in shining armour. I think we’ll be just fine.”

And even though Alfredo had some reservations, he was utterly devoted to Ryan - in almost every sense of the word - so he sighed and dragged a book over to his side of the table. “You’re the only people I’d read a fucking book for, just so you know.”

Geoff burst into a surprised laugh. “I think we can make it more than one, ‘Fredo.”

“Don’t push it,” Alfredo replied, removing his gauntlets so he could point one at Geoff, but mostly so he could turn the pages easier. “What are we looking for, Ryan?”

Eagerly, Ryan spread his paperwork out so they could all see. The same excited buzz that had been present in him this morning had now returned; Alfredo could almost feel him vibrating next to him. “There’s been a sighting in the forest nearby, close to that big bend in the river? I heard some knights talking about it after a patrol a few days ago. I read somewhere that dragons are vain, so they like gemstones that match their scale colour…”

They fell into the lull of Ryan’s voice as he talked through his research so far, and soon they had taken up pencils of their own, adding to the scattered papers as the morning wore on.

* * *

It was a week before they made their first trip.

They read every bit of dragon lore and research they could get their hands on, bolstering Ryan’s already thorough work. By the time they set out, Ryan’s notebook was bulging, filled as it was with loose pieces of paper, and almost out of space, except for a few blank pages he’d specifically saved for his own firsthand experiences. For now, it was securely tucked into Ryan’s saddlebag, along with a few other things they’d deemed necessary, as they weaved their way through the forest, guiding their horses along the well worn path as it became less trodden.

They were following little more than rumours from the townsfolk, things that the knights had tossed around in the tavern after their shifts were over. Allegedly, the dragon was jet black, with some even claiming they’d seen the mythical Enderdragon in all its terrifying glory, but even Ryan had doubted that. In the end, common dragon hideaways were the one thing they hadn’t been able to narrow down, no matter how long they spent searching through Geoff’s books, so tracking it this way was their only option.

Somehow, Ryan still seemed confident. Alfredo admired that about him.

He also admired the way the full moon shone through the trees and across Ryan’s face, highlighting the lines of his face and the curve of his armour. More than once, Alfredo found his gaze drifting as they slowly proceeded; riding a horse was little more than muscle memory to him, so he had a little too much free time on his hands, time that his bored mind took full advantage of.

“We’re here.”

The two quiet words stirred Alfredo out of his thoughts just in time to halt his horse. He blinked a couple of times, focusing on what he could see of Ryan’s profile. Geoff pulled up next to him, also clad in armour, though notably lacking a sword; he had refused to carry one, claiming that he’d be useless anyway if it came to a fight and he’d be better off running for help if needed, though Alfredo suspected that he just didn’t know the tip from the hilt.

Ryan’s boots softly thumped against the earth as he dismounted. He dug into his saddlebag for his notebook and a handful of dark, crumbly, glittering obsidian; even if Ryan doubted the Enderdragon rumour, he had come prepared with a gift for a black dragon, just in case.

As Ryan moved forwards, drawn by his curiosity, Alfredo and Geoff dropped down to follow - and despite all the research that claimed the dragon would be harmless unless provoked, Alfredo rested a hand on the pommel of his sword.

Ryan’s safety always came first.

The trees opened up into a small clearing. On the right, there was a river, bubbling along happily as it curved around behind the slight rise in front of them. The sky was fully visible above now with little to obscure it, and right below it was the most damning evidence of all: thick, deep claw marks in the dirt, left by some great beast as it took to the air time and time again. Alfredo’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his sword that much tighter, some animal instinct demanding that he leave this place - but he stayed, shooting a nervous look at Ryan, seeking some kind of guidance.

But Ryan wouldn’t meet his eyes. He didn’t respond at the first quiet mention of his name, nor the second, more urgent one from Geoff.

At the third, he gave a quick, short, _“Shh.”_

Alfredo blinked. “Did you shush me?”

“Alfredo,” Geoff murmured, suddenly hoarse.

“He _shushed_ me!” Alfredo hissed.

Geoff swallowed hard enough that Alfredo heard it. “Alfredo. Look up.”

Frustrated, Alfredo followed Ryan’s gaze - and then he froze.

In the dark maw of the cave, there were two eyes: wide, purple, and staring.

And Ryan was staring right back.

Silently, the dragon slipped out of the cave - first her muzzle, then her head, her slender neck, and down to her shoulders. She carefully placed one paw after the other as she approached; coupled with the eery lack of noise, it was almost like the shadows from the cave’s depths were taking form. Her scales were indeed pitch black, but much like obsidian, there was a shine to them once the moonlight hit, and instead of fear, Alfredo felt only admiration as he spotted the little silver flecks along the membrane of her wings. She almost seemed to mirror the night sky overhead, he thought.

When, finally, her tail flicked free of the darkness behind her, the dragon shifted so her body blocked the cave entrance - it was a clear gesture to _stay out_ , particularly when she unfurled her wings a little and huffed at them, but she didn’t attack just yet. She seemed almost curious as her gaze shifted back and forth across them, though it soon came to rest on solely Ryan as she recognised him as the leader of their little group.

“She’s beautiful,” Ryan breathed.

“She’s terrifying,” Geoff muttered. Alfredo glanced at him out of the corners of his eyes; there was a slight tremor to Geoff’s form, though he was firmly rooted to the spot.

Alfredo grinned. “She’s cool as shit.”

The dragon cocked her head, listening to their conversation. While she didn’t give any response of her own, there was something almost like amusement in the curl of her lip.

Next to him, Ryan sucked in a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then took a single step forwards. Alfredo saw Geoff jerk a little, almost like he had tried to reach out for Ryan and then thought better of it; he shuffled closer, enough that he could brush his fingers against Geoff’s in comfort.

To his surprise, Geoff grabbed hold and squeezed tight.

Ryan continued forwards, slow and steady, until the dragon raised her head and flared her wings slightly. It was a subtle warning: _no closer._ Obediently, Ryan stopped, and he bowed his head in respect. 

“We don’t mean you any harm,” he promised. From here, Alfredo could only see a sliver of Ryan’s face, but he couldn’t detect a trace of fear in the way Ryan held himself. There was only strength and confidence, and it was something that filled Alfredo’s chest with butterflies. This, right here, was the man who was in line for the throne; it was almost difficult to believe that he was the same person who had, just a week ago, been recklessly engrossed in his research like a common scholar.

“We only wanted to meet you,” Ryan continued. “Even help you, if you’ll let us.”

The dragon let out a quiet puff of breath. There was no questioning her intelligence - she understood what Ryan was saying, and she was patiently waiting for him to continue.

Slowly, as Ryan straightened up, he raised his closed fist, palm facing up, and unfurled his fingers. There, in his palm, was the offering of obsidian in a shiny pile. It was only small, but Alfredo knew Ryan had more tucked away in his saddlebag if the dragon was prepared to accept the gift.

At the sight of the black glass, the dragon’s eyes rounded almost comically. She quivered a little and, unable to help herself, she stepped forwards, muzzle outstretched as far as she could reach, to sniff at Ryan’s palm in a gentle inspection. The way she slunk forwards was almost catlike, particularly when she folded her wings to her sides and sat down now that there was no clear threat.

For his part, Ryan stayed perfectly still. Alfredo and Geoff did the same, both gripped by something more than fascination.

Alfredo was painfully aware that he wouldn’t reach Ryan in time if the dragon attacked.

But, of course, she didn’t. Once the obsidian was deemed acceptable, she shifted her weight back onto her haunches and lifted a surprisingly dextrous paw. She pinched a shard of obsidian between her claws - it was a surprise to see that she had opposable thumbs, though Alfredo wasn’t sure if they would be referred to as thumbs or claws - and lifted it up to her eye to peer at it. A quiet rumbling started deep in her throat, almost like a content purr.

Satisfied, she lowered it again, and, like Ryan, offered her paw, palm up.

Even from here, with Ryan’s back mostly towards them, Alfredo could see his wide grin. Ryan tipped the obsidian into the dragon’s paw and she closed her claws around it, clasping it safely to her chest in what could only be a gesture of acceptance.

“I have more,” Ryan said, dusting off his hands, “if you would like it.”

The dragon’s head shot up again, every fibre of her being alert at the promise. Alfredo heard Ryan’s barely stifled giggle, and he bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his own. As Ryan turned to go back for more obsidian, Geoff’s grip gradually started to relax on Alfredo’s numb fingers, and when he looked to his right, Alfredo didn’t see fear.

He only saw his own admiration and affection for Ryan, mirrored on Geoff’s face.

* * *

The next step was a home for the dragon.

Ryan hadn’t exactly asked yet, and she did seem fairly comfortable where she was already, but Alfredo watched as Ryan began to fret about the the knights and hunters. While the latter merely did it to make a living, the former sought things more addictive entirely: glory and recognition. In theory, dangerous, heroic acts were the easiest way to gain favour with the current leader of the kingdom - or, at least, it had been.

In actual fact, it was an outdated tradition, one no leader had entertained for decades now, but some knights still clung to it desperately. It had grated on Alfredo during his training, too; they would see it as a quick way to rise through the ranks instead of using raw skill.

There had been some resentment when Alfredo had been chosen to be the prince’s guard. He hadn’t performed any fantastic acts, nothing that would’ve snatched Ryan’s attention from another candidate. No, he’d been selected solely based on his skill. Alfredo had been quietly smug about this, but then he’d come to know Ryan, and now he was simply pleased that his abilities had gained him such a good friend.

This hunger for glory was something that they were all painfully aware of, and it only fuelled Ryan’s desire to unite humans and dragons, preferably before he became king. If they could manage that, then it would be a clear start for a new, brighter future, one with hopefully less bloodshed.

So, for now, Ryan had secured an old barn on the outskirts of the castle grounds. Much like the dragon’s cave, it was surrounded by trees, and the same river made its winding way across the countryside to weave through the wooded area here on its way to the dragon. At first, Alfredo had been concerned with its proximity to the castle, but Geoff had pointed out that people might hunt and search out in the wilderness, but they wouldn’t dare to trespass on royal property; Ryan had seemed pretty pleased with himself as he confirmed Geoff’s assumptions. While the building itself was old and somewhat abandoned, it was still sturdy and had stayed strong throughout the many years it had been left to gather dust, and Alfredo was sure that the open space inside would be welcome to the dragon.

It was also where they had set up their base. They had squeezed a small table into one of the stables, and Alfredo had knocked down the rest, hauling aside the old wood so there was plenty of floorspace. Next time, Alfredo thought, checking for more chunks of wood he’d missed during his clearout, he would bring hay to litter across the ground.

While he’d been on demolishing duty, Geoff had been slouching against a wall, flipping through the notebook idly, while Ryan buried himself in the stable to work on something. Occasionally, Geoff had glanced up to call out to Alfredo and chat or joke, but they’d all maintained a friendly quiet for the most part.

Dusting off his hands, Alfredo wandered over to join them both. He folded his arms across the stable door and peered over.

Ryan was hunched over the table, murmuring to himself as he worked over a large piece of leather. Several more were piled next to his little wooden stool, untouched for the moment, and one of the more recent pages of notes sat beside his right hand. On it, Alfredo knew there were measurements that the dragon had allowed Ryan to take.

At first, Alfredo - and Geoff, too - had thought that it was simple curiosity, a desire to add to the library’s knowledge.

Now, though, Alfredo recognised the shape Ryan was making, and his stomach swooped.

Geoff came up beside him. Alfredo felt him still, and he knew that Geoff had figured out the same thing.

“Ryan,” Geoff said, slowly, “why are you making a saddle?”

Pausing, Ryan glanced up, frowning. He laid down the strap he’d been working on - holes were already neatly punched through it at regular intervals - and smoothed his palms across the leather. To Alfredo’s surprise, Ryan looked almost nervous at having been caught.

“Well,” he said, “if we can bring dragons and humans together… I thought, well, maybe…”

Alfredo frowned. “Maybe you could ride one?”

“Maybe,” Ryan agreed, somewhat sheepishly.

“I thought our priority was getting her safe,” Geoff said. “Not- not fucking _flying.”_

“It is our priority! I just… thought it’d be cool.” Ducking his head a little, Ryan mumbled, “She seems to understand us pretty well, and if we ever had to battle or travel together, that would be a good way to make it work, right?”

There was a beat of silence, broken only by their breathing. Then, sighing, Alfredo tapped his fingers against the door and said, “Well, you might be getting a _little_ ahead of yourself, but it _is_ pretty cool.”

“Good luck putting it on her, though,” Geoff added. “I don’t fuckin’ envy you, dude.”

At their approval, Ryan perked up again. Alfredo felt a little bad for dampening his spirit there, but he couldn’t shake the fear and worry that the dragon would eventually tire of them. “You saw how friendly she was last time!” Ryan said. “She _understood_ us. She knows where other dragons are!”

Geoff still looked doubtful, though. “Doesn’t necessarily mean she’s willing to tell us.”

“Well, we can still ask her next time.” And with that, Ryan scooped up his leather again, content to get back to work. “Either way, we need to offer her this barn as a safe place to rest. The trainee knights are getting too itchy to track her down, and if _we_ found her so easily on just rumours…”

Ryan trailed off, leaving an uncomfortable silence. Alfredo shifted on his feet, trying to think of something to say, but Geoff beat him to it.

“We won’t let that happen,” he said, firmly. “We’re gonna keep her safe, Ryan.”

Ryan paused his work again; Alfredo saw him smile weakly down at his hands. “I hope so.”

* * *

During their preparations, they visited the dragon several more times. As time passed and they became closer, she began to touch Ryan more freely at first - a fond brush of her wing, a bump of her muzzle against his shoulder - and, eventually, Alfredo and Geoff, too. Alfredo had placed his hand confidently on her neck to scratch across her scales, much to her delight, but Geoff had been visibly nervous, even now.

Amusingly enough, the dragon had picked up on this.

In a surprisingly human show of comedy, after she had enjoyed Alfredo’s petting, she had rushed over to Geoff to scoop him up in a wing and drag him close. Geoff had yelped, and she had made a strange coughing sound deep in her chest.

“She’s laughing,” Ryan had murmured, his eyes shining with wonder and affection.

It hadn’t escaped Alfredo that that affection had been directed towards Geoff. His heart ached - he wanted them both, there was no denying that to himself now - but he couldn’t envy them if they were drawn towards each other.

He was, however, blind enough that he’d missed the way they _both_ looked at _him._

As they approached now, they fell into the usual triangular formation - Ryan at the front, Geoff and Alfredo on either side. Ryan’s finished saddle was draped across the back of his horse, now with added pockets should the rider need to carry anything. They spoke quietly amongst themselves as they headed deeper into the forest, though they were all hesitant to break the natural silence much. As their conversation faded, Alfredo idly listened to the sounds of life around them: birdsong, the distant bubble of the river, the soft rustle of creatures in the underbrush.

Eventually, they dismounted at the edge of the clearing, pausing to secure their horses to a tree. The dragon was already waiting for them, having heard them approaching from a distance, but this time, she was sitting with her tail curled around a bundle of something on the ground. If Alfredo squinted, he could make out cloth, as well as something round and brightly coloured.

Ryan strode up to her, beaming. She rumbled in greeting.

As Alfredo and Geoff trailed after him, they watched as she raised a wing, causing Ryan to pause; Alfredo knew Ryan had intended on going in with their offering of a safe place and the saddle, but evidently, she had something to address first. She looked up, her gaze settling on Alfredo and Geoff, and she gestured them closer with the same wing, and again more urgently when they both hesitated. Sometimes, Alfredo forgot just how human she could be, until she did things like this.

It wasn’t until they were there, side by side with Ryan, that she let her tail fall to the side, revealing two round, scaled eggs, one shining gold and one emerald green.

Alfredo felt like he’d taken a punch to the stomach. He stared down at them, admiring the way the low light bounced off of the golden egg’s shell. They were roughly the length of her muzzle, though much thicker, and Alfredo had no doubt that they would be weighty. Tucked in next to them were small valuables: a few gold coins, a couple of emeralds, and the shards of obsidian that Ryan had given the eggs’ mother so many weeks ago now. Even at a distance, it seemed like the shells would be tough and hard, though Alfredo knew they _had_ to be delicate; if the dragon had kept them secret for this long, they must have been vulnerable enough for her to worry.

“Eggs,” Geoff breathed. “Holy shit.”

Somewhere in his awe, Alfredo had missed Ryan grabbing his sleeve in his shock. He twisted his arm to brush his fingers against Ryan’s in silent acknowledgement.

“Are you safe?” Ryan asked bluntly.

At his question, the dragon wound her tail around the bundle again and gave a slight jerk of her muzzle to the side: no, they were not.

“Other people have come close?”

A thin growl slipped out from between her teeth.

“We can give you somewhere safe,” Ryan promised, the words tumbling over each other in his rush to explain. “We have a barn, it’s big enough for you _and_ your eggs. It’s close to us, but secluded; nobody will bother you there.”

Oddly enough, she didn’t seem surprised, but her eyes gleamed with warm satisfaction.

It was almost surreal to see the abrupt shift in Ryan’s attitude; the presence of eggs had driven his desire to protect into overdrive, and Alfredo found himself helping with carefully placing the eggs in the giant saddle’s bags after Ryan had secured it to the dragon’s back; she had been more than willing to wear it when Ryan had suggested it as transport for the eggs. Her eagerness to move didn’t strike Alfredo as strange, at least not yet. Later, he would realise that she had seemed prepared and ready to leave, almost like she knew what was coming, but right now, all Alfredo could think about was getting her and the eggs to safety, where no stray hunter would find them.

As Ryan made a few last adjustments to the straps at her sides, he asked, “Does it take a long time for eggs to hatch?”

The dragon cocked her head, giving no clear response.

So Ryan tried again. “Will they hatch soon?”

She inclined her head: yes, they would.

The dragon’s answers tugged at something in Alfredo’s memory, pulling something he’d read to the surface. He stopped his fiddling with one of the bags so he could lean past Ryan and make eye contact with the dragon. “Is it true that dragons hatch when something significant happens?”

At that, she lifted her head again, triumphant, before she bowed into a slow nod.

And then it clicked.

“You’re the Enderdragon, aren’t you? The one that hatched when the Nether Portals started opening?”

It was the scales and her eye colour that tipped Alfredo off - she matched the Endermen, the creatures that haunted the hillsides at night, peaceful until you looked them in the eye. It made it all the more chilling to remember Ryan’s initial staring match with the Enderdragon. They were lucky that she apparently hadn’t taken it as an insult - or maybe that was just the Endermen.

Alfredo felt Ryan still next to him and, on the other side of the Enderdragon, Geoff’s now pale face appeared.

Playfully, the Enderdragon winked at Alfredo, and then she shifted restlessly on her feet, eager to take off.

Still stunned, the three of them backed up, and, for the first time, they watched the Enderdragon take to the air. Her muscles bunched and then suddenly released as she launched herself into the sky, beating her great wings to catch herself. Sparkles of light littered the ground as it filtered through her wings, dancing across their armour as they gazed up at her in a mixture of wonder and awe, their sudden fear fading at the beauty before them.

She circled as they mounted their horses once more, and then she disappeared high into the clouds, following them home.

* * *

Night fell, and the little group made it home. In the hush of the night, they eased open the barn doors for the Enderdragon, and she made herself at home in a cosy corner, pulling together a nest of cloth, hay, and little pieces of obsidian. Alfredo watched in awe as she breathed warm air over a little pocket of it, determined to heat it before she carefully placed her eggs there. Piece by piece, she folded cloth over them, almost like she was tucking a child into bed.

The vision of gentle, loving care made Alfredo’s heart soften.

Soon, though, the Enderdragon curled around her eggs, laid her great muzzle on her paws, and closed her brilliant eyes. The only sound was her deep, rumbling breaths as she rested.

Alfredo found himself sat on the floor, his back to the wall, with Geoff and Ryan on either side. Geoff had already fallen asleep there, leaning heavily against him. Quiet snores were muffled against Alfredo’s shirt. Ryan’s head was on his shoulder, and like Geoff, he was quickly dozing off; Alfredo could hear the way his breathing slowed and deepened the closer he got to sleep.

It wasn’t long before Alfredo drifted off, his hand on Geoff’s knee and his head resting against Ryan’s.

* * *

“We should try the saddle.”

The Enderdragon raised her head and offered a curious rumble.

“What do you mean?” Alfredo asked, absentmindedly. He didn’t look up from the task at hand: sharpening his sword with a whetstone, dragging it along the blade in long, steady strokes.

“I wanna go for a flight.”

Geoff dropped the book he was reading. It landed in his lap with a solid thump. “Absolutely not.”

Alfredo almost dropped his sword. He fumbled the whetstone, cursing under his breath as it toppled to the floor and he had to scoop it up again. “Fuck that!”

Ryan frowned. He already had the saddle in his hands, and the Enderdragon was halfway out of her nest, ready to leave.

Carefully now, Alfred lowered his sword and whetstone onto the little wooden table in front of him. “You do remember I’m supposed to protect you, right? How am I supposed to do that if you’re in the air?”

“I’ll be safe with her.” Ryan nodded at the Enderdragon, and she made a quiet noise of agreement. “We won’t go far, anyway. I just wanna find out if this saddle is actually good for prolonged use, or whether I need to change it at all.” He raised an eyebrow as Geoff and Alfredo shared a look. “What did you think the saddle was for when I first made it? Decoration?”

Frustrated, Geoff flipped his book closed with a huff. “I dunno, maybe! Maybe you just wanted a giant fucking saddle! I don’t _know,_ Ryan!”

Despite his worrying, Alfredo had to laugh. He managed to tone it down to a snicker, though it didn’t escape Geoff’s notice, and he received a glare that quickly turned from stern to playful. Neither of them were entirely happy about it, that much was true, but when Ryan was insistent on something like this, he would find a way to get there - the fact that they were even here with the Enderdragon was proof of that.

“We won’t be gone long,” Ryan promised. “And besides, Alfredo, you can guard the eggs while we’re gone. I can even _assign_ you to it, if you want.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Alfredo murmured, dropping his chin into his hand. “I’ll watch the eggs.”

It was only Geoff that held out for a moment longer, and then he finally acquiesced. He sighed, and his head rocked back against the wooden wall with a soft _thunk._ “Fine. If it’s a choice between flying and egg duty, I’ll take fuckin’ egg duty, I guess.”

At that, the Enderdragon bounced up onto her feet. She snaked her head forwards, bumping her muzzle against Geoff and Alfredo to urge them up and, when they were close enough, she scooped a wing around them to bring them over to the nest. Alfredo couldn’t help laughing again as he and Geoff stumbled, grabbing onto each other to hold their balance, even as they knelt down next to the eggs. She was only satisfied when they were settled there on the floor; until then, she didn’t stop wiggling even for Ryan, who had hefted the saddle once more in an attempt to swing it over her back.

The sight of Ryan settling into place on her back was one Alfredo would never forget. His dark armour and robes matched the Enderdragon’s midnight scales, and Ryan looked every bit the king he was meant to be. For a moment, when the Enderdragon tossed her head and bared her teeth in a triumphant growl, it became clear that they were always meant to find each other, and for once, Alfredo couldn’t help wondering if there was something more at play here - something like destiny or fate.

Ryan grinned at them, and Alfredo’s heart skipped an awed, fluttering beat.

“Be back soon,” Ryan said, and then the Enderdragon turned to shoulder open the barn’s double doors.

Alfredo and Geoff both leaned over to watch as she crouched, tensed, and, once more, leaped into the air. Heavy wingbeats sent shivers through the grass below as she took off, but they didn’t muffle the sound of Ryan’s delighted, amazed laugh. They could still hear the distant echo until they had flown away, lost in their giddiness.

“He’s fucking insane,” Geoff muttered. “You know what? I’m fucking glad I’m not king or prince or whatever. I wouldn’t even want your job, ‘Fredo. Too much excitement. How do you even do it?”

“I have no idea,” Alfredo sighed. Sometimes, he asked himself the same question - but the truth was, he loved it, and, well, maybe he loved Ryan, too.

He turned himself back towards the nest, shuffling around until he was facing it again. Some of the cloth had flipped up where the Enderdragon had been excitedly dancing around, so Alfredo reached out to tuck it back around the golden egg.

His fingers brushed against the side of Geoff’s hand and the egg at the same time.

Two things happened in that moment.

Alfredo felt a little fizzle of electricity race across his skin from the spot where he and Geoff had touched. He jerked his hand back, an apology on his lips, so he missed the second thing: both eggs twitching in response to their touches. For a moment, the golden one rocked in time to Alfredo’s jumpy heartbeat, knocking lightly against the green one as it shivered, too. There was no chance of any damage thanks to the soft cloth between them, and they soon settled again anyway as Alfredo tripped over his words.

“It’s okay,” Geoff assured him, his cheeks just the slightest touch pink. “My bad, I didn’t realise you were going in, too.”

This time, they were more careful when they went to tuck the eggs in, but Alfredo was, admittedly, sorely tempted to brush against Geoff again.

They spent the time talking quietly, laughing and murmuring and chatting, and idly turning the eggs to face the warmer spots, mimicking the way the Enderdragon kept them at the right temperature. Alfredo began to worry that they would cool too much and they would have no way to heat them again, but there was no reason to worry: the Enderdragon knew the schedule well enough, and before their shells were even lukewarm instead of nicely toasty, she returned with Ryan safe and sound on her back. His cheeks were red from the wind, and he was still grinning and laughing breathlessly as he hopped down from the saddle.

“That was _amazing_ ,” he said, eagerly rushing over to drop down between Geoff and Alfredo. “You guys have _gotta_ try!”

“Maybe next time, Rye-Bread.” Geoff patted him on the shoulder fondly. “Or, maybe Alfredo…”

“Oh, no, I’m good on the ground.” Alfredo glanced up at the Enderdragon as she came closer, nosing around the eggs to check on then. “No offence to you, though, ma’am.”

She snorted, but she seemed satisfied. When she met Alfredo’s gaze, there was a knowing twinkle there, almost like she knew something that they didn’t.

“I think that means _no offence taken_ ,” Ryan translated. “Here, let me get that saddle off of you, and we’ll leave you to nest.”

* * *

It felt like it had been ages since Alfredo had set foot in the castle. Every shift started there - he had to report in to his superiors first - but considering how much time he spent at the barn now, it felt strange to meet here instead, at the library, where it had all started.

Ryan had asked them to start there today, though. He’d mentioned it after they had left the barn the previous night, and he had given no explanation for it before heading off to his quarters.

Still, Alfredo thought, as long as he was spending time with both Ryan and Geoff, he didn’t mind. He knew that nursing his crushes on them both was only going to make matters worse; so many different outcomes had run through Alfredo’s mind over the past few weeks, each of them as painful as the last, though at the end of it all, he was determined to remain their friend, regardless of what happened. Yes, he wanted them both, but Alfredo also simply wanted them both _around._ He would be happy with that, if that was all that he was allowed.

He eased the library door open, and he was greeted with the murmur of quiet voices. It came from the corner where they had first researched dragons; Alfredo could remember the way around these shelves with ease thanks to the time they’d spent there that first week.

They were both standing by the table, talking. Their conversation was so intense, they didn’t stir at the sound of Alfredo’s footsteps.

It very quickly became clear why.

Geoff reached up, gently grasped the collar of Ryan’s cloak, and pulled him in for a kiss.

Alfredo wasn’t sure how to feel.

On the one hand, where he liked them both, it was a joy to see them kiss, because he would certainly be delighted if all three of them could be together. It was the fantasy Alfredo had wanted the most; he’d seen the way Ryan and Geoff looked at each other sometimes, so he’d had no doubt of their feelings for each other. This was no surprise.

On the other, his hope crumbled as he stayed rooted to the spot. He wanted to leave and give them privacy, but his feet wouldn’t listen - having said that, he was too stunned to really command them, anyway.

After what felt like an eternity, Ryan and Geoff broke apart. Geoff looked up, and he immediately spotted him.

“Alfredo…” Geoff breathed.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Ryan blinked at him. “What?”

“Do you want me to leave?” Alfredo repeated. He knew he sounded off, that he didn’t sound right, but how could he when his crushes seemed to be getting together? He was happy for them, of course, and he wanted to grant them some alone time - both for them, and so he could gather himself and be the good friend he wanted to be. “I can go, you guys look busy, I’ll just-”

Geoff reached out for him, and Alfredo snapped his mouth shut. “Alfredo, wait.”

He waited, heart pounding in his chest, as Geoff snagged his wrist and tugged him closer. “We want you in on this too, buddy, if you’ll have us.”

Alfredo shook his head - not a no, but to clear his thoughts. “I…”

“Geoff and I were talking,” Ryan said. Alfredo’s stomach fluttered when Ryan hesitantly took his hand. “We, uh… we discussed our feelings for each other, and we also realised that we both felt the same way about you.”

It was odd to see Ryan blush. He was cute, Alfredo thought.

“So,” Geoff continued, “if you want - and only if you want to, there’s no obligation to be a part of this - then that’s absolutely okay. Please don’t feel pressured to-”

The words tripped off of Alfredo’s tongue before he’d even thought about them. “Oh, no, I definitely want in.”

Geoff stopped, and then broke into a laugh at Alfredo’s phrasing. “You’re serious?”

“Absolutely!” Alfredo couldn’t stop smiling. He looked from one happy face to the other, and all that hope that had broken down quickly came surging back up again, rebuilt now with joy. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been crushing on you both? Holy shit. Fuck _yes_ , I wanna be a part of this.”

Ryan squeezed his hand, drawing his attention back to him. “Can I- can I kiss you, then?”

Instead of wasting time answering, Alfredo simply hauled him in to plant one on him. Ryan made a quiet noise against his lips and immediately melted into it, pressing as close as he could get. Alfredo heard Geoff suck in a quiet breath just to his left.

It was thrilling, to be kissing the prince. He’d thought about it a few times, of course, his dreams haunted by Ryan’s warm chuckle and Geoff’s husky laugh, but he had tried not to dwell on it in the waking world. Now that he was here, though, Alfredo thoroughly indulged, memorising the way Ryan’s lips felt against his as Geoff’s hands burned against his sides.

When they parted, Geoff reached up to gently tilt Alfredo’s head back towards him. “Is it my turn now?” he asked, teasing. “I think you’ve stunned Ryan.”

“You’re an unfairly good kisser,” Ryan murmured, plonking his chin onto Alfredo’s shoulder. “I think I need to lay down.”

Geoff muffled Alfredo’s laugh in another kiss, but Alfredo was still smiling against his lips. Ryan was warm against his side where he curled around them, and Alfredo could feel him watching; his gaze was a comforting, cosy weight, like a blanket around his shoulders.

Alfredo wasn’t sure what this would mean for the three of them in the long run, or for his and Geoff’s status considering they were with the _prince,_ after all, but he couldn’t care less.

Right now, he was exactly where he wanted to be.

* * *

When they tore themselves apart long enough to make it to the barn, they found the Enderdragon already on her feet, restless as she danced around her nest. Her head perked up at the creak of the door, and she immediately rushed over, gently buffeting them with her wings to urge them closer to the nest. The three of them grabbed at each other to keep from tripping, cursing under their breaths.

“What the fuck is happening?” Alfredo grumbled as he knocked into Geoff’s side. “Sorry.”

“S’okay,” Geoff promised, squeezing his arm. “What’s up? Why are you so worked up?”

Ryan caught himself against Alfredo’s shoulder as they reached the nest. His breath caught, and then, quietly, he said, “They’re hatching.”

The two eggs were already exposed, twitching and rocking in occasional outbursts as the dragons within fought to break free. Behind them, the Enderdragon gave a pleased hum.

“Holy shit,” Alfredo breathed. He dropped to his knees next to the nest, and, when he felt the Enderdragon’s muzzle bump his back, he shuffled closer. He felt more than heard Ryan and Geoff settle down either side of him. “Holy _shit,_ we only just made it in time.”

The gold egg rattled and wobbled, threatening to topple right out of the bundle of cloth. Alfredo’s hand shot out to catch it; the egg was hot to the touch, but not enough to burn. He did, however, hiss when he felt that same shock of electricity again as he righted it - though this time, he couldn’t write it off as accidentally bumping Geoff’s hand, not when Geoff made the same sound as he caught the green egg, completely independent of him.

It took some time for the hatchlings to finally emerge. Alfredo zeroed in on his egg as the first cracks started to appear in the surface and, finally, after much effort, a little golden head broke free, a section of scaly egg resting on its head like a hat. Huffing out a quiet laugh, Alfredo reached in to pluck it off of the hatchling’s head; it chirped at him, pleased, and went back to work on crawling out of the shell, until it tumbled unceremoniously into the nest.

“Oh my God,” Geoff breathed.

Alfredo looked to his right, and his lips parted in surprise. While he’d been focused on the first hatchling, he hadn’t noticed the green one’s escape. Rather than drop into the nest, it had immediately crawled up Geoff’s outstretched arm, nosing and sniffing at his robes.

The green of its scales matched Geoff’s clothes, Alfredo realised.

The golden one matched the shine of his own armour.

He was reminded of the sight of Ryan, clad in dark grey armour astride a black dragon’s back, and he wondered once more if this had been their fate all along.

Swallowing hard, Alfredo offered the little golden dragon his fingers. “Hey, little guy,” he cooed.

It considered his hand, and for a second, Alfredo wondered if he was about to lose a finger. But, of course, his dragon would never harm him. Instead, it cooed with joy and bumped its cheek against his hand, much like an affectionate cat, and, eager for more petting, it clambered across the cloth to reach his knee, determined to climb its way up.

Behind Ryan, the Enderdragon looked on, her chest puffed out with pride. Before anybody could stop her, she shook her head, arched her neck, and loosed a triumphant cry to the heavens - one that the hatchlings tried to join, but they could only squeak in response.

Geoff groaned once the noise stopped. “Ow.”

Alfredo winced in sympathy. “I hope nobody at the castle heard that.”

But there was a telltale twinkle in Ryan’s eye - one that, Alfredo noticed, he’d seen in the Enderdragon’s far too often. “It was gonna come out sooner or later, especially with the babies. Don’t worry, though. I have a plan.”

* * *

Months passed, and somehow the secret stayed under wraps for just a little while longer. The roar had, of course, started more rumours - ones that made Alfredo and Geoff jumpier now with the hatchlings at risk, too - but Ryan was insistent that he had something up his sleeve, so Alfredo, at least, tried to stay calm. Geoff, however, took more convincing and reassurance.

Though Alfredo couldn’t say he blamed him when Ryan told them to bring the hatchlings to his coronation.

“How the fuck does he expect us to smuggle them in?” Geoff asked.

They stood side by side, watching the two hatchlings playfight. In just the couple months that had passed, they had grown to knee height, and their roughhousing had caused more than a few accidents in the barn. Alfredo had already had to repair the wall of the only stable twice in the past week alone.

“I have _no_ idea,” Alfredo huffed. “I’m more worried about them sitting still for the ceremony, even with their Mama there. I don’t want them breaking shit.”

Geoff shook the harness in his hand. Ryan had made one for each hatchling - though youngling was probably the more appropriate term now - but Alfredo thought it was probably a bit ambitious to assume it would make them behave.

Unsurprisingly, the dragons paid no notice to the rattle of leather and buckles.

Alfredo sighed. “Alright, come on, you two, break it up.” He reached in, hooking the golden dragon around the middle; he wiggled and squirmed, grumbling as they interrupted their game, but he soon settled when he realised he was in Alfredo’s arms. They were just light enough that they could still be carried, though not for very long, so Alfredo was grateful to crouch down to set the dragon back on his feet again, just for long enough to attach the harness. Next to him, Geoff did the same, murmuring sweet nothings to his dragon as he did; it had been a pleasant surprise to hear Geoff coo over his baby this much, though he would protest whenever he or Ryan called him out on it.

As Geoff had said, there was no way they could smuggle the dragons in, even if they did behave when carried, so it left them with one option: stroll right into the castle.

But they needn’t have worried. Ryan’s plan paid off.

There were no cautious stares as they walked down the centre of the great hall. All eyes were focused ahead, on the prince who stood before his throne, dressed in dark, sparkling robes. Behind him, a hulking, shadowy figure sat, her purple eyes staring down at the humans all gathered for the ceremony.

At the sight of her children, the Enderdragon made a soft purring noise, and the ominous spell was broken.

The younglings chirped and tugged at their harnesses, eager and curious, but at another noise from their mother, they settled down by Geoff and Alfredo’s feet - though they did still make the odd playful snap at each other, even under their mother’s stern stare.

First, there was a speech from Ryan’s predecessor, full of flowery talk about the past few decades and how peaceful they were. It continued onto how they hoped Ryan would continue this peace, and how he was destined to take the throne to do so. While it was all thoughtful, it was all said with nervous glances up at the Enderdragon looming behind Ryan. Evidently, the previous ruler hadn’t been clued in on Ryan’s plan for peacekeeping.

The crown was passed to Ryan, and he placed it on his head with reverent care. He raised his head, and with the Enderdragon behind him, he made such a striking figure that it took Alfredo’s breath away.

“Today,” Ryan began, looking out across the gathered crowd, “begins a new era, and not just because I have taken the throne. Today, as my first action as king, I am putting a stop to hunting dragons.” A quiet murmur rippled through the gathered crowd, but Ryan continued, unperturbed. “As you can see, they are not mere creatures of myth and legend, and neither are they some trophy to be bragged about. They are as intelligent as any of us, and I believe that if we work with them, we can all become stronger because of it.”

He gestured to the Enderdragon behind him. She shifted her attention to the gathered people, her gaze smoothly moving across everyone as she inspected them. “I have been working with this dragon for several months now. She has always been an ally and a friend. Her two hatchlings are present today, too.”

Alfredo felt his cheeks heat as hundreds of eyes turned to him; the weight of their gaze made his shoulders hunch in just a little in embarrassment. Geoff took his free hand, though, and gave it a squeeze, and Alfredo let out a long, slow breath.

They were safe - all six of them were. Nothing would happen to the dragons here, not now that Ryan was king.

When Alfredo looked up at the throne again, Ryan was smiling warmly at them.

He beamed back up at him.

“There will be no more dragon hunting,” Ryan said, his voice firm and booming through the hall. “There will be consequences for those who do this. From now on, any discovered dragons will be referred to Sirs Diaz and Ramsey, who will guide them to a comfortable home to roost on the castle grounds. I understand if you are wary now, but I urge you to give them a chance. They will guide us and teach us, and together, we can keep the peace.”

Ryan straightened up to his full height. While anyone else might have missed the slight nerves in Ryan’s face, Alfredo noticed the way his fingers subtly tangled into the side of his robes. “Who’s with me?”

And, to Alfredo’s delight, the crowd burst into raucous cheers.

At his feet, the hatchlings danced around each other, excited by the noise. Alfredo couldn’t help laughing at the sight of them as they bumped into his shins.

As Ryan sat on the throne, beaming, his nerves gone, the Enderdragon placed her great paws on the arms, tipped her head back, and loosed a delighted roar. She spread her wings in her triumph, and instead of blocking out the sun from the giant glass window behind her, it instead sent stars cascading across the hall as the light filtered through the silvery flecks in her wings. She matched Ryan’s sparkling robes, and Alfredo had to wonder if they had rehearsed it. It would be very Ryan to be so dramatic, he thought.

Hope bubbled up in Alfredo’s chest. This was a new beginning for the kingdom now, one where the dragons would never have to fear again. Of course, there would be danger still where people rebelled against the new rule, but they would be there to protect the dragons now - and, if it came to it, become peacekeepers between the two races. And while the hatchlings were still far too young to fly, let alone carry their riders, there would come a time when the three of them would soar through the sky together, all with their destinies in mind.

Geoff would write, chronicling the journey they had taken to unite humans and dragons. His dragon would be a gentle creature, preferring his quiet company and a book of her own.

Alfredo would protect them as they travelled, soaring into battle with bright, golden fire to light the way.

And Ryan, their king, the puzzle piece to complete their trio, would lead, as was his destiny.

These were things that the Enderdragon had known all along. She had known that she was meant to meet Ryan, and that her eggs were meant to find Alfredo and Geoff, and she had played her part. Now, content and safe, she folded her wings as Ryan settled into his throne and the crowd began to disperse, greeting her children as Ryan’s partners bounded up to his side, bubbling and happy. She laid her great head on the ground so the hatchlings could climb over her, and, at last, she closed her eyes to rest.

They would live happily here, all six of them, now that their journey was complete.


End file.
